Second Chance
by ForeverGoldenHeart
Summary: Willow finds a spell that allows her to go back in time and save Tara from dying.


**Second Chance**

**Author's Note: I've had this idea in my head for a long time and finally had time to write today. I apologize if this is rushed or OOC in anyway, I hope you will all like it :) I had to re-post this since I posted the wrong version before. The story takes place in the beginning of season 7 after Willow gets back from Europe. This story has flashbacks to the past and the present once reality has been altered, so hopefully it won't be confusing.**

* * *

_The Present_

Willow flipped frantically through the pages of her new spell book, trying to find the incantation for the spell. She had all the candles set up and the powder required for the spell but she couldn't remember what page the incantation was on for the spell to work. Willow had discovered the spell book when she had gone to library a few days before and found the librarian throwing out a couple of old and damaged books. She had asked the librarian if she could look through the pile and keep some before the librarian threw them away, and the librarian agreed. While Willow was searching through the pile, she found an old book wrapped in black leather with no title.

"Interesting, I wonder what this one's about," Willow had whispered to herself.

Curious, she unwrapped the book and opened the pages to find that it was a spell book from the occult section. Much her surprise, the spells the book contained were for altering reality, time travel, freezing time and so on. "Oh my God!" She slammed the book shut once she realized what could be done with it and took it with her along with the regular books she was taking. She had shown Buffy the book and told her about her plan the same day she found it. Buffy was against it, worried that Willow would go dark again if she failed. Willow had begged her to let her try once and if it failed she wouldn't bother with it again, which was the truth. This was the last chance Willow had to save Tara and if it didn't work, Willow knew she would continue her life and move on even though it would hurt.

"There!" Willow pressed her finger to the page. "That's it!" She had found the spell again. Willow picked up the book and set it on a table next to the circle of candles. She dumped the white powder from the tiny bag into one hand and started reading the Latin incantation. As she reach the last line she moved her hand over her head and sprinkled the powder over her as she finished the last word.

Red light flew down to the circle and surrounded Willow and disappeared in a red flash.

* * *

_One Year Ago_

Willow opened up a drawer from the dresser while Tara glanced out the window at Buffy and Xander.

"Think they're making up?" Willow asked as she searched though the drawer.

"I hope so," Tara turned around smiling at Willow. "That's the best part."

Willow shut the drawer and smiled back at Tara, when suddenly the glass in the window shattered behind Tara.

Everything froze.

The bullet was frozen in midair along with the pieces of the shattered glass. Tara was frozen standing by the window and Willow was frozen by drawer. Everything going on outside had frozen and nothing in the world moved.

Red light flashed and Willow's future self appeared in the room next to her past self who was still frozen. Future Willow walked over to where Tara was frozen at with the bullet an inch away from her back. Willow dragged Tara away from the window to the wall and then dragged her past self away from the dresser and next to the bed away from the window as well. This way, when the time travel/frozen time spell wore off, the bullet would hit the wall and neither of them would be harmed.

"Miss you baby," She whispered to Tara before the red light started to surround her again and she disappeared.

The bullet flew through the air hit the wall while Willow and Tara stumbled back in surprise.

"Oh my gosh, what was that!" Tara cried out as the glass shattered.

"How did we get all the way over here?" Willow was confused.

"Is that a bullet?" Tara panicked and pointed to the hole in the wall.

"My God, what happened out there?"

Willow and Tara rushed to the window and saw Warren running away from the house with a gun in his hand and Buffy laying on the ground with Xander holding her.

"BUFFY!" They shouted, realizing what Warren had done. Both of them rushed downstairs and outside to Buffy and Xander.

"Quick, call an ambulance!" Xander shouted. Tara ran inside and dialed 911 while Willow stayed with Buffy and Xander outside.

* * *

_The Present _

Red light flashed and Willow was back in her room.

_Did it work? _She wondered, while glancing around the room. She spotted some of Tara's spell books on the shelves and her perfume bottles on the shelves, which weren't there before.

"Tara?" Willow called out. She stepped outside the candle circle and opened up the closet. Sure enough Tara's things were in there too hanging up with Willow's clothes.

"TARA!" Willow shouted and ran out of the room and down the stairs.

She stopped in the living room where she saw Tara and Dawn watching TV together on the couches.

"Oh my God, Tara you're back!" Willow exclaimed and hugged her.

Tara laughed. "What do you mean? I've been here the whole time, I never went anywhere."

"I thought it wouldn't work and that you were gone forever!"

"Don't be ridiculous, why would I leave?" Tara rolled her eyes playfully.

"Um, not be rude here but are you feeling alright Willow? You're acting really weird," Dawn interrupted.

"Sorry, I'm just really happy to see you Tara," Willow smiled.

* * *

_One Year Ago_

Xander sat with Willow and Tara in the hospital's waiting room while the doctor's did emergency surgery on Buffy to remove the bullet. Xander had explained to the police what Warren had done and they tracked him down shortly after and put him in jail with Andrew and Jonathon.

As time went on Willow started to grow more anxious and finally stood up.

"Willow what's wrong?" Tara asked.

"Shouldn't we do something? What if they can't save her? I wish I could do a healing spell or something, what if the surgery don't work?" Willow paced back and forth nervously.

"Will, don't worry, they'll take care of everything," Xander reassured her, but even he wasn't sure.

"Willow, you don't need magic for this, doctors hadle things like this all the time," Tara stood up too.

"I know," Willow sighed and sat back. "I just feel so useless sitting here."

At that moment, the doctor came into the waiting room and Willow and Xander jumped up.

"I have good news for you three, the surgery was a success and we were able to remove the bullet from your friend," The doctor said.

"Can we see her now?" Willow asked.

"No, not just yet. She can't have visitors right now and she'll be spending the night or possibly a few days here to make sure she's alright. But you should all be able to visit her tomorrow," said the doctor before walking away.

"That's great!" Tara smiled. "See, I told you Willow, everything would be fine."

"What are we going to do about Dawn?" Xander asked.

"My God, I forgot all about Dawnie," Willow exchanged glances with Tara . "How are we going to tell her?"

"Should I call Giles? I think he should know what happened to Buffy," Xander said.

"Yes, go ahead, Willow and I will go back to the Summer's place and tell Dawn," Tara glanced worried at Willow again, knowing how Dawn would go ballistic when she found out what Warren did to Buffy.

"Alright."

* * *

_The Present_

The front door opened and Buffy stepped inside.

"BUFFY!" Willow ran out of the room to tell Buffy. "I need to talk to you, you won't believe what happened."

"Alright," Buffy followed her into the kitchen. "Is it bad?"

"No, it's wonderful! Remember that spell I told you I was going to try? Well it worked!" Willow exclaimed.

"Well, that's nice Willow, but I have to go now. You can tell me more about it later," Buffy said before walking out. "Dawn come on! We have to go now!"

"Ugh, alright, alright!" Dawn grumbled as she got up from the couch and went outside with Buffy.

"Okay," Willow nodded. She realized that reality had been altered as a result of her time traveling spell and nobody remembered Tara dying or Willow going dark. In this reality none of it happened. Willow would explain what happened eventually but now wasn't the time.

* * *

_One Year Ago_

Willow and Tara stood nervously in front of the Summer's home.

"Are you ready for this?" Tara asked.

"I don't know…How can we possibly tell her? This won't be good." Willow fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"I'm sure she must have some idea by now what went down if she saw our room. You know, with the bullet in the wall and the shattered glass from the bullet in the window," Tara said.

"Oh God…" Willow felt sick. "I still don't know how we were moved so far over from where we were."

"I don't know either. Maybe something was looking out for us, as cheesy as that sounds. If I hadn't been moved over, I could've been killed," Tara replied.

Willow shook her head. "Stop, I don't want to think of that. I don't know what I would've done without you Tara." A tears started to form in Willow eyes.

"Shh…stop, Willow, not here," Tara reminded Willow before hugging her. "We have to be strong for Dawn when we go in."

"Sorry, you're right though." Willow pulled away. "I'm just glad that you're alright and that whatever it was kept you or me from being killed."

"Don't worry, everything's fine," Tara smiled as she put her hand on the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

* * *

_The Present_

"Tara!" Willow ran back to the living room sat down on the couch next to Tara and hugged her.

"Yes?" Tara smiled as she hugged her back.

"I think we should leave too, it beautiful day outside," Willow exclaimed.

"Alright, what do you want to do?" Tara asked.

"Maybe we could go to the park or something. Or see a movie," Willow suggested.

"That's cool with me, let's go!" Tara and Willow stood up and walked towards the door.

"Tara?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad you are too. You're awfully cheerful today."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Willow beamed. "I'm just happy to be here with you."

"And so am I. I don't know what I'd do without you Will," Tara said.

"Me either."


End file.
